CAS Mission

The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), a consortium of professional associations in higher education, promotes the use of its professional standards for the development, assessment, and improvement of quality student learning, programs, and services.

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CAS Holds First State-Wide Users Group Meeting

  On May 14, 2012, the Arkansas College Personnel Association (ArCPA) and the University of the Ozarks (AR) hosted 107 participants from 17 colleges and universities in the first ever CAS Users Group Meeting. Attendees were introduced to CAS and its work, the concept of standards of practice, and a step-by-step process for using the CAS Standards and Self-Assessment Guides to conduct a program review. One participant raved that the sessions "opened my eyes on how to improve services provided to our students."

CAS Board of Directors members Deb Garrett and Melissa Mahan developed and presented the workshop, with assistance from Janet Marling; CAS Board member Linda Thompson also attended. After the presentation, a panel of CAS users shared experiences and recommendations for participants seeking to use the standards and review process in their own settings. As one attendee reflected, it was valuable to receive "all the expertise from real users." Participant responses to the workshop, handouts on using CAS standards, and copies of the CAS "Blue Book" were overwhelmingly positive.

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